Minorities and Communication 2005 Abstracts

Minorities and Communication Division

STUDENTS
The Effects of Social Identity on Perception of Racism in U.S. Print News Media • Omotayo Banjo, Michelle Early, Earlissa Grange, Penn State University • This study examines the relationship between social identity and perception of bias in crime news. We hypothesized that students who strongly identified with mainstream identity would be less likely to perceive bias; that there would be a significant difference among race for perception of bias; and that the individuals who strongly identified with Blacks will be more likely to perceive bias. We found significant effects of mainstream identity on perceptions of bias.

Black and White Racial Comparisons of TV Uses and Gratifications on Life Satisfaction • Bettye A. Grable, Louisiana State University • Television’s viewing influence on college students’ life satisfaction opinions was studied. The project sought to understand the uses and gratifications of television viewing related to life satisfaction opinions. Findings from this study indicted similar uses of television texts by blacks and whites. The hypothesis was significantly supported. Individuals seek information from television to improve their life satisfaction.

Hispanic Media Use: A Literature Review • Farhana Hibbert, Idaho State University • This paper examines peer-reviewed and published research about Hispanic media use. This review is exemplary of the literature available on the topic. First, the general statement of the problem is shared: What are the basic trends and developments in research on Hispanic media use? Then, a summary of the literature is presented. Finally, the literature is critically evaluated: strengths and limitations of the literature are identified, and suggestions for further study are proposed.

Light or Heavy? Idealized Body-Type Images in Women’s Magazines, and Their Effects on African-American Adolescent Females’ Self-Body Image • Rajah Maples-Wallace, University of Missouri • This study examines media effects on African-American females’ moods and self-body images. Forty-two African-American females were exposed to four fictitious magazine advertisements. Twenty-eight subjects were exposed to two ads that displayed extremely thin models, while 14 subjects were exposed to two ads that displayed extremely heavy models. Both groups’ mood scores and body self-esteem scores decreased after viewing the idealized images; however, body self-esteem scores for the women who saw the heavier models decreased more.

Good or Bad TV? Mediating Race and Racism on MTV’s The Real World • Ji Hoon Park, University of Pennsylvania • This study explores the democratic potential of reality TV shows through a textual and audience analysis of two episodes of The Real World Philadelphia. The findings suggest that The Real World Philadelphia served as an important cultural forum that offered an opportunity to witness an incident of racial profiling. Not only did white and nonwhite viewers alike sympathize with the victim, they all engaged in thinking of solutions for gaining a mutual understanding of the cast members who had different racial experiences.

Stalemate, Xenophobia and the Framing of the Immigration Debate • Brendan R. Watson, University of Missouri • Overall newspaper coverage of Hispanic immigration is balanced. However, the dominant conflict frame used to cover the issue may be contributing to the lack of progress towards meeting some of the objectives President George W. Bush laid out to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws in January 2004. An analysis of coverage since that time also reveals significant differences in how Hispanics and non-Hispanics report on immigration, both in regards to the frames they use and how they source their stories.